UN Rights Chief Raises Concern Over Israeli Occupation Airstrikes On Syria

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) GENEVA, July 18 (Kuna) -- The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk on Friday raised concerns regarding reports of civilian casualties resulting from Israeli occupation airstrikes on (Suweida) (Daraa) and in the centre of (Damascus).
He said in a statement issued from Geneva "Attacks such as the one on Damascus on Wednesday pose great risks to civilians and civilian objects. Such attacks must cease".
Turk also called on Syriaآ's interim authorities to do impartial and thorough investigations into the recent violence in (Suweida) and to ensure accountability and justice, saying, this would also strengthen the ongoing wider transitional justice process to ensure accountability for past violations and abuses."
He called on Syriaآ's interim authorities to publish the results of the national fact-finding committeeآ's investigations into the violence in coastal areas earlier this year.
He said, "With the fall of the former government Syrians have witnessed a moment of hope for a better future based on human rights. It is the responsibility of the interim authorities to demonstrate that this chapter will be defined by rights, justice and equal protection for all."
Turk called for a thorough urgent and independent vetting process to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations and abuses are not integrated into Syriaآ's official security or military structures. "This is a vital step in rebuilding public trust and advancing Syriaآ's broader transition," he said.
"This bloodshed and the violence must stop and the protection of all people must be the utmost priority in line with international human rights law," Turk said.
"It is crucial that immediate steps are taken to prevent recurrence of such violence," he stressed. (end)
imk

MENAFN18072025000071011013ID1109817832